Thank You For Choosing Me
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: All Fred and Hermione want is each other. R&R!


Disclaimer: I yet again still own nothing.

This could be a follow up to "Nothing in Common" but stands alone just as well. Enjoy!

* * *

Fred Weasley was in a particularly cheerful mood today. The sun was shining brightly, the breeze was light, and nothing could remove the grin from his face. The family was good, business was good, he was good, she was good. Everything he could ever want to be good was good. He strolled along the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, glancing at a window display here, admiring the enchanted decorations there. His smile grew even larger (if that was possible) as he entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the shop he owned with his twin brother, George. Behind the counter stood Hermione Granger - the reason for his most cheerful day.

"When will the two of you learn to save receipts?" she wondered aloud with a groan, bent over their books in what looked like an uncomfortable position. There was a quill in her right hand, as her left ran haphazardly through her thick, curly hair. "Honestly, how you've managed to stay in business this long is baffling."

Fred cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Hi," he greeted her, the beaming smile still on his face. Her scowl relaxed at the sight of him.

"Hi to you too." Hermione moved around the counter to where he still stood. Their hands met, fingers intertwining, as her lips brushed softly across his. Her eyebrows raised when she pulled away, feeling a slight bulge in his pants pocket.

"Just happy to see you, my dear," he joked, shifting away from her. "Dinner tonight, around seven?"

"My place or yours?" she cheekily inquired, indicating the small flat above the shop that they shared for several months.

"George is staying at Angelina's again tonight," he informed her, ignoring her question. "So the place is ours for the evening."

"Can't wait," she replied, hoping her excitement outweighed the nervous energy she suddenly felt. Fred's eyes raked over her, worry held in his blue eyes. "I'm fine," she added, responding to the look that asked "what's wrong?" Fred nodded, accepting her answer, and placed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Seven o'clock, don't forget," he reminded her, walking up to their flat.

********

Five minutes past seven, the clock told him. It wasn't like Hermione to be late. She'd never been late. Fred surveyed his handiwork - the meal he'd prepared from scratch (a la no magic), champagne chilled in a bucket of ice, her favorite flowers in vases around the room, the soft flickering glow of candlelight set a dim, romantic glow. He anxiously shifted that same bulge she'd felt before around in his pocket.

Now all he needed was Hermione.

Five more minutes passed.

Where was she?

He decided, two more minutes, and then he'd go looking for her. His blue eyes were fixed on the clock, watching the second hand tick away slowly.

"Sorry," she called, bursting through the door and pushing it shut with her foot. She glanced around the living room, taking in the scene before her. "I'm so sorry. This looks beautiful, and I fell asleep rechecking the books, and, oh, please tell me dinner isn't cold."

Fred rose from his spot on the couch to stand before her. "You have ink on your face," he told her, his hand brushing against the soft skin, "just there." He smiled a bit as a blush rose in her cheeks.

"I just need five more minutes," she stated adamantly, kissed him briefly, and ran to their room. Four minutes later she emerged, no ink on her cheek and wearing a soft red dress that she knew he'd love. She walked over to stand in front of where Fred sat on the couch, her legs straddling his waist. Their lips connected, softly at first, before she deepened the kiss. Fred was the first to pull away.

"Dinner is going to get cold," he reminded her, slightly out of breath and a bit dazed. She turned her head back to the forgotten meal, and with a sigh, removed herself from his lap. They sat side by side, leaning against the couch for back support, as they quietly ate.

"Oh, you'll never guess what I found out from Ginny today," Hermione said excitedly, interrupted the silence. Fred's eyes flicked to her, silently telling her to continue. "George and Angie got engaged!"

A simple "Oh" was his only response. She saw how his shoulders slumped momentarily before he got up to clear the coffee table of the mess made by dinner.

"What's the matter?" she asked, following him to the kitchen. "I'd have thought you'd be happy for your brother. Instead you act like I told you he just brushed his teeth. I mean, engagement is a big deal."

"It's nothing," Fred decided with a shrug of his shoulders. "Just wish I heard it from my brother," he added, concealing the small box in his pocket from her yet again.

********

Fred lay awake staring at the ceiling as Hermione slept soundly next to him, her arm draped carelessly over his waist. He'd found the perfect ring earlier in the day, the ring that would ask her to be his for the rest of their lives. But he choked, merely at the sight of her with black ink smudged across her face. It wasn't going to be something he improvised. She was special. Flowers and candles and a good dinner wouldn't even convince him to accept his proposal. And then she had to bring up his brother's engagement. The engagement he knew nothing of.

Fred sighed, rolling off the bed and out of Hermione's grasp. He rubbed his hands over his face as he made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water. Maybe he'd fly her over the Atlantic Ocean and propose there, he thought, filling the glass. No, she hated flying, he countered, taking a sip. She liked those horse-drawn carriages, but the smell was awful. He ran through and shot down four more ideas before refilling his glass.

"What are you doing up this late?" a sleep-laden voice asked, flipping on the kitchen light.

"Couldn't sleep," Fred replied, holding out his glass to her. She gladly accepted, draining it of its contents. After placing the glass in the sink, Hermione turned to Fred, giving him a pointed look. "George never told me he was proposing."

"Well," Hermione spoke after some time, "maybe he didn't think you'd want to hear about him and Angelina given your history."

Fred shook his head. "He's still my brother, and more than that, my best friend. He should have said something to me."

Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist. "You know I love you, right?" Fred smiled, placing a delicate kiss on the tip of her nose.

"You might have mentioned that once or twice in the past."

Hermione nodded, slowly pulling away. "There's something I need to tell you then."

Fred's mouth fell open as his mind raced. What could she have to tell him, and with that scarily, serious look on her face? His mouth went dry as she started to speak.

"I think I...we might be pregnant."

A smile curled his lips. "Like...like with a baby?" he asked, suddenly feeling rather stupid.

Hermione let out a small laugh as relief washed over her. "Well, it certainly isn't going to be a puppy," she retorted, as he picked her up, spinning her around.

Suddenly he set her back on her feet. His demeanor changed from exhilarated to panicked. "We have to get married right away. And we have to move. We can't raise a baby in a small flat above a joke shop. It could swallow something, and who knows what could happen if it did. Maybe I should just leave running the shop to George, be a silent partner."

Hermione shook her head, curls flying, as tears pricked her eyes. "You need to stop. This is supposed to be a happy moment, and you're ruining it."

"I was going to propose tonight," he admitted sheepishly, calming down from his rant.

"You were?" He nodded. "Can I see the ring?"

"No," Fred told her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He kissed her cheek as she stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "We're doing this right...well, the proposal part anyhow."

One brown eyebrow arched. "So, you're going to get down on one knee right now and ask me?" There was something hopeful in her voice as she asked.

"No," he again told her. "I want it to be perfect, because you deserve it to be perfect," he added, placing a kiss on her forehead before moving his lips to her own. "I love you, Granger."

********

The twins quietly moved through the shop the next morning, checking inventory and straightening the items on the shelves before the enchanted "Sorry, Shop's Closed" sign switched to "Come On In!" The silence was irritating; never had there been such little noise in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Hermione coming down soon?" George finally asked, no longer able to stand the silence. His twin shrugged his shoulders, a little grunt his only answer. "Did you two have a lovers quarrel?" Fred shook his head. "Do I have to ask 18 more of these?"

Fred finally looked up at his brother from his spot near a bottom shelf. "Congratulations," was his only reply.

"Thanks, I think. For what?" Fred quirked an eyebrow as if to ask "Really, you don't know?"

"Your engagement," Fred answered simply, no emotion showing in his voice. "Congratulations."

George ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "I was going to tell you."

"I found out from Hermione who heard it from Ginny," Fred explained, turning to sit on the floor. "There's a weird history between Angelina and I, we all know that. It's not like I'm pining for her anymore, though. It wouldn't have broken my heart to be told you were going to propose."

George joined his brother on the floor. "I should have known that."

"You also should have sworn our dear sister to secrecy," Fred said with a laugh. George joined in, laughing in agreement. Then Fred cleared his throat of any merriment. "Just so you know, you ruined my proposal last night."

George let his head fall in mock upset. "Why must you do everything I do? Is it not enough that I shared a womb with you?"

The twins burst into another fit of laughter, having had the same conversation many times. A cleared throat drew their attention away from each other. "Having fun, are we?" Hermione asked, arms crossed over her chest. Both twins, looking up at her with the kid with his hand in the cookie jar look spread across their faces, nodded. "Feel like working today?" she inquired.

"Guess I could do that for a bit," George decided.

"Sure, why not, gotta pass the time somehow," Fred agreed.

Hermione was not amused. "Grand. Now, George, maybe you can explain to me why your receipts magically seem to disappear."

Fred watched the young witch drag his brother off by the sleeve of his coat. "Yep, I'm going to marry that girl."

********

The Burrow was abuzz with excitement - Bill and Fleur introduced the family to their newest addition, a little girl named Victoire; Angelina was flashing the diamond engagement band at anyone who would (or wouldn't) look; and Harry and Ginny announced that they too would be adding to their family in seven months and four days. Fred looked around, taking in his large and noisy family. He watched as the baby was passed from person to person, as the girls ogled over Angie's ring, and as Ginny proudly let anyone who wanted to feel her stomach that held no signs of pregnancy. Blue eyes roamed around the living room looking for that familiar head of brown curls, but to no avail.

"Seen Mione?" he murmured to Ron, who took a seat next to him.

"Out back," the younger Weasley replied around a mouthful of a peanut butter sandwich.

Fred nodded, slipping past the crowd, just in time to hear Mrs. Weasley shout at Ron for spoiling his dinner. He made his way out the back to the vegetable garden where he saw Hermione.

"De-gnoming Mum's garden, are you?" he asked when he was close enough to slip his arms around her waist from behind. "She already loves you more than the rest of us; no need to suck up now."

The young witch whirled around in his arms. "I wasn't trying to--"

"I know," he told her, softly kiss her forehead. "Just a joke. It's cold out here, you should be inside."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to be in there. Can't we just go home?" she asked, something close to a whine in her voice. "We could get that ice cream you like and just cuddle up in front of the fire. What do you say? Please can't we do that?"

Fred sighed, his head falling back. "Is it because of the ring and all this talk of babies?" He felt her shrug, leaning in closer to his body.

"It feels like that first Christmas," she said. "You remember? You dragged me here after Ron and I broke up, said we'd stick together. Then you promised we would leave as soon as things got uncomfortable. Well, right now..."

"Is this your way of getting me to propose right here and now?" he asked, a hint of humor in his voice. A blush rose, tinting Hermione's cheeks to a pretty rose shade. "Because it won't work on me."

The blush on her face grew to a deeper red. "Fine," she relented," but can we still please go home? Your mum has been giving me the 'I know you're hiding something from me' look the entire time we've been here. I'd much rather we wait to tell everyone about the baby...at least until..."

"Do not say the word I think you're going to say," Fred reprimanded, although he was finding it hard to keep his lips from turning up into a grin.

Hermione moved away, holding up her hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it. It's not like we're having a baby or anything. Oh, wait..."

A groan was released by the redhead, as he dragged the young witch back toward the house. "You, Granger, are unrelenting," he declared, never slackening his grip on her hand.

********

Hermione awoke late the next morning, fully expecting Fred to still be next to her. Instead, in his place, she found a white daisy and a note. She quickly unfolded it, noticing the scrawl that was distinctly Fred Weasley.

_My love,_

Wear something nice and be ready by seven.

Yours,  
Fred

She reread the note several times. This was it. She was getting her proposal. It felt like she was floating on a cloud as she readied herself for a day of work in the shop downstairs. Fred had been out the whole day, no doubt planning his surprise evening, she thought giddily. It didn't even bother her when George told her he couldn't find the exact documents she requested. Nothing could bother her today. When she went to bed that night, she knew, she'd be one step closer to being Mrs. Fred Weasley.

"What's gotten into you?" George inquired, leaning against the counter opposite her.

Hermione quickly slipped her hands under the counter top, hoping he hadn't seen the rubber band she'd looped around her left ring finger, imagining what it would look like had it been an actual engagement ring.

"You've gone a bit loopy today, Granger," he added, knowing exactly the reason for her behavior. Hermione just shrugged her shoulders, the smile still in place.

"I'm just in a really good mood today," she finally said.

George's eyebrows raised. "I lost two days worth of financial documents, and you didn't even yell at me. Has this got anything to do with my dear twin?" Hermione nodded. "He's Confunded you, hasn't he!" A confused look crossed her face before she shook her head, a few wisps of hair dislodging from her hair tie. "Do I have to ask 18 more of these? Because the two of you..."

Hermione laughed. "No, he just left me something, that's all. Oh, I'll be leaving early tonight, just to let you know."

They toiled away, helping customers, restocking shelves, with only a few instances of backfiring  
products. It wasn't until George pointed out that she only had an hour to get ready that Hermione dashed upstairs.

********

Hermione made her way to the small Italian restaurant in muggle London where she was to meet Fred. She'd found another note and daisy on her pillow after work. She paced across the front window trying to spot the familiar red hair for fifteen minutes before spotting him.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, kissing her tenderly. "I got lost."

Dinner dragged on for six courses. Hermione never thought it could be possible to be bored with food. Occasionally Fred would shift his jacket or reach into his pocket; each time she hoped that would be the time he'd pull out the ring.

"Dessert?" Fred asked, as the final plates were cleared.

Hermione sighed. "I'm getting a bit tired. Maybe we could just go back home."

Fred's face fell. Sure, part of him knew that dragging out the evening would test her patience, but another part had hoped that she would at least enjoy being with him. His hand raised slightly into the air to signal the waiter for a check. "Sure, we can go just as soon as the bill is taken care of," he assured her. "Feeling alright?"

She replied with a curt nod and repeated, "I'm tired." Fred again nodded, leaving the billfold and a few bills on the table. The couple walked outside into the frigid winter air. They were a block from the restaurant when she spoke again.

"I'm really sorry," she murmured, reaching a gloved hand out to hold his own. "It's just hormones I guess."

The smaller hand in his own stopped his pace, and he turned to look down at Hermione. "I had this whole evening planned out," he told her. "I wanted it to be special, memorable. But, I guess, maybe, that could wait for another night. At least you got a good meal out of this."

Hermione linked her hand with his other. "What did you have planned?" she asked, a small grin forming on her face. This had to be it.

Fred shook his head. "I can't tell you," he replied. "It's more of a visual thing."

"So show me."

The trademark Fred Weasley smile was back on his face as he pulled her towards a deserted alleyway. "Hold tight," he warned her, pulling her small frame close to his body. In seconds they Apparated away, the tight, uncomfortable feeling swarming around them. Finally, they landed in a darkened turret.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked, watching Fred light the tip of his wand.

"You'll see," he told her, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. He led her out a door to a walkway overlooking the Hogwarts grounds.

Shock overwhelmed her, a bit of the old, school girl Hermione coming back. "But you can't Apparate within school grounds, it's forbidden. Dumbledore had wards against that."

Fred continued to guide her along until they faced the Black Lake. "Headmistress McGonagall gave me special permission," he informed her. Hermione raised an eyebrow in question. "I'm very persuasive with the ladies."

Hermione leaned over a railing, laughing. "I'm sure Professor McGonagall was quite taken with your charm and wit. After all the terror you and George set on the school, I'm sure she was more than happy to help you out."

Fred chose to ignore the sarcasm in the young witch's voice, instead choosing to scan the sky for constellations. "What if I told you I said it was for you...the favor I needed?" he asked, still not looking down.

"I'd say that's the sweetest and probably most original thing you've ever done, Fred Weasley," she told him, her arms wrapping around his waist. He turned towards her, his head lowering to meet her lips. They still tasted the way they had the first time - sweet and minty, with a hint of her mid-afternoon tea. It was the perfect kiss from the perfect girl.

"I love you, Granger," he whispered, his breath heavy against her lips when they finally broke apart.

"I love you too," she replied. "This a wonderful surprise. Thank you for not taking me home."

Gingerly he placed a chaste kiss to her lips once more. "This isn't the entire surprise," he informed her, reaching into a pocket inside his cloak. The box was small, black and velvet, inside it housed a single diamond on a platinum band. "I never could have dreamed that I would be giving you this, asking you to be my wife. Especially all the times you chastised me for being irresponsible and immature, yelling at me for testing products on unsuspecting first years. But there was always that smile you'd give me when you were trying to cover up that you thought our pranks were funny. Or you'd put your hand on my arm to comfort me, and that one little touch would make my heart race. I was jealous when you picked Ron, and my heart broke into a thousand pieces for you when he left you. I was ecstatic when you let me be the one to be by your side, and I want nothing more than to be there for the rest of our lives. Marry me, Hermione Granger."

Tears cascaded down her cheeks, her nose sniffling every few seconds. Her brain couldn't get her mouth to communicate the words she needed to speak. Her head nodded emphatically. "Yes," she finally said. "Yes, I'll marry you. I love you."

********

It had been a short engagement, lasting only as long as it took to prepare for a small wedding. The next six months were spent preparing for the baby. A new house was purchased, one fit for a small family. The nursery was decked out in shades of pink and decorated to fit Hermione's every specification.

Now they waited. Fred paced the waiting room, having been kicked out of delivery by his very angry wife. Their family surrounded the waiting room, taking up every available seat.

"You need to sit," Ron piped up. "All this pacing is making me dizzy."

"Yeah, mate," George agreed. "There's a hole forming on the floor from all the back and forth. I'd hate to see you fall through it. No telling where you'd wind up then."

Fred shot his brothers a dirty look, imploring them to be quiet. He needed to think. It had been hours since Hermione felt the first contractions, then her water broke, and he rushed her to St. Mungo's as fast as he possibly could with a nine-month pregnant woman. She was in pain, begging anyone she could find for something to make that pain go away. How he had wished he could have been the one to vanquish that pain. The pacing started again and continued until a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Mr. Weasley," an older healer with a kind face and soft voice called out. Several red heads turned in her direction. Fred moved to stand in front of her. "Would you like to come meet your daughter?"

It was like being in a trance as he walked into the delivery room. It was stark white and brighter than he would have liked. Hermione was pale and sweaty, her curls matted against her head and back. In her arms lay the most perfect child, wrapped in a soft pink blanket.

"Hi," he murmured, his lips pressed to her slick temple. His blue eyes never left his daughter. "She's beautiful."

"This is your Daddy," Hermione spoke to the baby as if she could understand.

Fred ran a long finger over the tiny hand that poked out from the blanket, tracing each finger, feeling each dimpled knuckle. "Hi Georgia," he whispered, kissing his daughter's forehead, inhaling the new baby scent.

"George is going to be mad," Hermione warned him, though she chuckled a bit.

"Nah, he'll love it," Fred argued. "She's his goddaughter after all."

"Isn't she perfect?" Hermione asked, awe still in her voice at the little girl they created.

"Just as perfect as her mother," Fred replied, kissing his wife. "We should tell the family," he added, but made no attempt to move away from his girls.

"I think we should just stay like this for a little while longer," Hermione decided. "Thank you for everything."

Fred kissed her once more. "Thank you for choosing me."

**The End.**


End file.
